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Monday 14 April 2014

Hello Dolly! The barmaid of the century...

Congratulations to the oldest barmaid in the world, 100-year-old Dolly Saville who still works three shifts a week at the Red Lion Hotel in Wendover, Buckinghamshire. Dolly, who has been serving drinks for almost 75 years, is someone I would really like to meet.

Why would any writer want to research the past on the internet when they could spend half an hour chatting to this wonderful lady over a gin and tonic?

Dolly started working at the hotel in 1940 when George V1 was on the throne, Churchill was Prime Minister and Britain was in the grip of the Second World War, according to articles in The Times and the Daily Mail recently.

'I love the work and I love the people,' she said. 'It keeps me going and it's better than sitting around.'

She has little time for sitting around, however, working three lunchtime shifts a week serving customers, polishing glasses and clearing tables.

Dolly gave up working full time six years ago when she reached the age of 94, and admits that her own two children are happily retired.

Over the last seven decades she has served many famous faces, including James Bond actor Pierce Brosnan, former Prime Minister Ted Heath, footballer Stanley Matthews, singer Vera Lynn, ballet dancer Margot Fonteyn and actress Elizabeth Taylor.

And in all that time she reckons she has served more than two million pints!

You can read more on: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2601755/She-definitely-deserves-tip-Worlds-oldest-barmaid-celebrating-100th-birthday-no-plans-retire-pub-started-working-1940.html#ixzz2ytsafHcC

And in the meantime - where's my satnav?  I might just take a trip down to Buckingham.
 

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